Yet another rehab project: The Laguna Twist

[SIx String Chef]

Well, here I go again, taking on a guitar that needs TLC and some major rehab / surgery.

A few years ago I bought at a GC in Lombard IL, a second-hand Laguna guitar. As I understood it, they had a fairly good reputation about their sound and workmanship, even the ones made in China after the brand was acquired by GC. So I became the proud owner of a superstrat / shredder style axe.

And it worked pretty well at the beginning... until it didn't. Between plays, the neck had developed a corkscrew axial twist, from about the first up until around the 5th-6th fret. Low E side protruding.

So the first thing is to try and straighten the twist. So I improvised a quick straightening rig using a couple of strings, a screw, some clamps, a neck cradle and a clothes iron. Tied the strings to a couple of the tuners to adjust the tension and counteract the neck torsion.



Placed the iron at medium-low temp on the affected neck area and left it there for a couple of hours. Took it off and left the tension on the neck overnight to cool down. Saw this method in a few sources, including a video by Freddy Gabrsek, a local Canadian luthier (Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario) whom legend has it, services Alex Lifeson's luthiering needs. And apparently, it worked.



After that, came the mandatory fret TLC with a good pass-through of the fretboard under the press to get all frets fully in contact with the board.



Next, levelling and re-crowning (got a new tool, a fret dagger):



And a nice fallaway starting at the 17th fret



Continues...

 

[SIx String Chef]

...And after a good polishing of the frets and oiling of the board, the neck was ready to install



Which I did promptly... Last night:



All that is needed now is reinstall the tuning machinery, once I figure out the correct order in which I'm assuming they have to go, (being numbered and of three different post-heights: tall, medium and short)...



tie the strings on, and Bob's yer uncle! Ready for a setup. I'll update once the guitar is stringed and a full setup including floating the bridge, gets underway.

Comments are very welcome and kindly requested from y'all fine folk!

 

[SIx String Chef]

Quick note: the tuners as shown above are in order of shaft height from tallest to lowest and they all have a stamped number in the case next to an "HC" logo.



The numbers are "1", "2" and "4", a pair of each. And are numbered from left to right as seen in the tuner lineup photo above: 2, 1, 1, 2, 4, 4. Question to anyone who would know how to answer it: Based on logic and on what i've been able to dig in the internet, am I correct in assuming that the order to install the tuners in the corresponding holes, not taking into account the number stamped on each tuner, would be: The two tallest for the 6th (Low E) and 5th (A) strings nearest the nut, the medium pair for the 4th (D) and 3rd (G) strings, and the shortest pair, farthest from the nut for the 2nd (B) and 1st (high e) strings. Last 4 strings going under the corresponding trees.

I would like to think that it makes some sense because the difference in height helps with the break angle as the strings leave the back end of the nut for the tuning posts. Not sure if I'm correct, though. this is actually the first time I've come across this kind of variable height tuning posts.

 

[syscokid]

The two tallest for the 6th (Low E) and 5th (A) strings nearest the nut, the medium pair for the 4th (D) and 3rd (G) strings, and the shortest pair, farthest from the nut for the 2nd (B) and 1st (high e) strings.

This...

 

[Inspector #20]

Good job!!!!

 

[SIx String Chef]

Update: after the full neck treatment and putting Laguna back together (body and neck), I strung her up and proceeded to do a full all-points setup:

• Neck relief, .010" feeler gauge barely touching Low E at the 7th-8th frets.
• Setting action for Low and High E strings (outer strings) @ 5/64" on the bass side and 1/16" on the treble side. I know, a little on the higher side, but I'm not looking to be a shredder.
• Setting action for A, D, G and B strings (inner strings) using a fretboard-matched radius gauge. Adjust bridge saddle heights to match fretboard radius 12".
• Adjust depth of and re-cut nut slots with hosco files. Being my absolutely first foray into this aspect of luthiering, I went too deep on the slot for the 1st string. But promptly solved it by filling with compacted baking soda and thin CA glue, accelerated it with a little bit of good 'ole spit and Bob's yer uncle. Recut the slot to depth successfully and gave a small bevel on top of each slot with a triangular file. Final heights between frets and strings .020" for Low E and A, .018" for D and G and .016" for B and high e. NO buzzes. I DO have a few questions about the whole process, though. I'll post them further down.

• Set intonation at the bridge, comparing pitch of open against 12th and 17th frets.
• Set pickup heights at 3/32" on the bass side and 1/16" on the treble side.

 

[SIx String Chef]

Through the whole process i'm happy to say that I counted with the assistance of my two hard(ly)-working assistants: Crunchie and Churro:





And the effort paid off:



I know, the 6th string is not perfectly aligned with the corresponding tuner. I'll fix the alignment and re-place it on the machine head later. Need to consult with @Robert Herndon first.

As for the nut itself, i know it's a bit of a hack job, especially with all the frayed, burry edges on the slots. Not the best of materials to begin with (original nut, china-made, unknown material) but hopefully a few tips on how to avoid / correct them them and better finish the nuts can help me do better next time and will be greatly appreciated.

Anyhoo, next on the Laguna List: Floating the bridge:

 

[LiveeviL2000]

Nice job!

 

[jtcnj]

Nice work!
Hope the twist doesnt return.

The string alignment from the tuner to the nut slot "is what it is" if the nut slot is where you want it in relation to the edge of the fretboard and spacing to the 5th string.

Bone nut blanks are pretty cheap if you want to have at it.
When you cut the slots and get close to the target string height / depth of slot - check it under tension and burnish the string / slide it back and forth to seat it to help prevent going to deep / low.

I've gone to far too many times.....

(Ozzy sings: "Son, son, you've gone too far....")

And yep, @Robert Herndon nut slotting info is humongously informative.

 

[jtcnj]

I dont know which nut files you have, but the Hosco set I have is the 2 sided type and they are a Vee with a flat bottom, but the string will wallow the V when burnished / worked / seated in, dropping it slightly lower - which is in part why I have gone too deep a few times.

 

[SIx String Chef]

Good job!!!!

Thank you, Rob! Learning and applying the learnings as I go... So far, not too bad.

 

[SIx String Chef]

I dont know which nut files you have, but the Hosco set I have is the 2 sided type and they are a Vee with a flat bottom, but the string will wallow the V when burnished / worked / seated in, dropping it slightly lower - which is in part why I have gone too deep a few times.

I have the exact same set, plus an extra one at .050"


seems like these ones have a wide, slightly rounded profile. And yes, they're two-edged. I believe the code name is TLNF.

 

[SIx String Chef]

Nice work!
Hope the twist doesnt return.

The string alignment from the tuner to the nut slot "is what it is" if the nut slot is where you want it in relation to the edge of the fretboard and spacing to the 5th string.

Bone nut blanks are pretty cheap if you want to have at it.
When you cut the slots and get close to the target string height / depth of slot - check it under tension and burnish the string / slide it back and forth to seat it to help prevent going to deep / low.

I've gone to far too many times.....

(Ozzy sings: "Son, son, you've gone too far....")

And yep, @Robert Herndon nut slotting info is humongously informative.

Thank you, JT! I do hope too that the straightening will hold, although I'm not holding my breath... I think I will be getting a somewhat inexpensive replacement neck as soon as the budget allows it.

Basically what I did is just adjust the depth of the slots on the nut that came with the guitar. Didn't cut it from scratch. As I mentioned, not the best of materials, it seems. But so far, it worked. Excepting for the 1st stribg. It was the typoical: "almost there... just a few more passes. once too many and ended with the string basically sitting on the fret. Good thing I was able to pull off the baking soda/ca glue trick successfully.

I need to get me a bunch of bone nut blanks, I think I've seen some good offers on ebay. Haven't been able to find decent bulk here in Canada at a good price. Need to keep building my parts and tools inventories.

 

[Inspector #20]

Get some welding tip cleaners too....

 

[Don O]

Through the whole process i'm happy to say that I counted with the assistance of my two hard(ly)-working assistants: Crunchie and Churro:

View attachment 84500

View attachment 84501

And the effort paid off:

View attachment 84502

I know, the 6th string is not perfectly aligned with the corresponding tuner. I'll fix the alignment and re-place it on the machine head later. Need to consult with @Robert Herndon first.

As for the nut itself, i know it's a bit of a hack job, especially with all the frayed, burry edges on the slots. Not the best of materials to begin with (original nut, china-made, unknown material) but hopefully a few tips on how to avoid / correct them them and better finish the nuts can help me do better next time and will be greatly appreciated.

Anyhoo, next on the Laguna List: Floating the bridge:

View attachment 84503

Good feline help is hard to find
Here’s Zion double checking my work at the computer.